Zambia Hunt

Coming to a unified understanding and a shared philosophy.

Where have we been? Where are we going?

At Central Africa Baptist University, we are committed to a collaborative leadership structure; we believe in the philosophy of consensus as a way to achieve teamwork. This philosophy is based on servant-leadership, where each member of the leadership team seeks the counsel of others on the team with humility. We move forward only when God has put the leadership team on the same page. Occasionally, some team members may express hesitancy or another viewpoint, but this does not raise concern to the point where they would oppose the direction. 

Seeking consensus often means that the matter is committed to prayer and further discussion in the event of a significant disagreement. The servant-leadership philosophy acknowledges God’s grace at work in the life of the other. Should the disagreement continue and consensus not be achieved, it may be necessary for the one responsible to guide the team to a final decision. In most instances, if everyone is prayerfully seeking God’s will, reaching a decision without consensus will be rare.

During the start-up years, the team at the table included a cross-section of leaders in the ministry. During this period, we all wore multiple hats and were willing to do whatever was necessary to get the organization off the ground. It was not uncommon for the executive and the Dean of the Bible to pull in faculty or staff for team collaborations in matters outside their primary role or responsibilities.

There has been incredible growth in the past four years at CABU, including our campus, academic offerings, staff and faculty team, and many additions to our leadership structure. Our physical footprint has expanded with three new plots, five new buildings, and a remodel of Cyprian into offices and classroom space. TSE has grown from a handful of students to, this year, 40+ weeks with over 1,700 students. Our Leadership team has grown from two executives to five. Departments and department heads have been added, and our annual budget has gone from $450k to about $1 million.

As CABU continued to grow and mature, the organizational structure developed, and there were several new team members. Job descriptions were untangled and clarified, and reporting structures were organized. This is a stretch for all of us as we navigated the transition from a small organization with a small campus and 40-70 students to a university with multiple programs and 200+ students.

Collaborative leadership is a crucial aspect of CABU and must continue to grow and transition with the institution’s growth. The philosophy of consensus should be the default within each leadership team. However, the team leader is ultimately responsible for managing that process and is accountable for the decisions made. The job descriptions and Critical Success Factors define each leadership team’s role, responsibility, and authority, giving clarity and structure to their roles. 

Below is our collaboration meeting plan that describes practically how each team should collaborate.

NOTE: Within teams, ownership is recognized and encouraged.

A-R-C-I– OUR CABU COLLABORATION PLAN

A– ACCOUNTABLE. – (Person to be accountable for the task. Executor, Supervisor of the task).

R– RESPONSIBLE – (Person responsible for the task, doer of the task.)

C– CONSULTED – (Who needs to be consulted either for expertise or knowledge as a stakeholder).

I– INFORMED – (Who needs to be informed because they are stakeholders in the outcome. Sometimes, this means an individual, a department, or the entire institution).